Oberweis Dairy

Farm and family go hand in hand

Farming is a way of life for Dan Lauderdale. A fourth-generation dairy farmer, he lives and works on the Wisconsin farm first purchased by his great grandfather in 1908 – where he grew up and now raises his young family. One state away, in Aurora, IL, Joe Oberweis also carries on traditions worth saving. His fourth-generation family business operates ice cream shops and wholesale grocery stores, and delivers milk in glass bottles to homes across six states. Their partnership today is more integral than ever – as family-owned-and-operated farms continue to decline.

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“This place is bigger than who you are as an individual. It’s not just a job. It’s not just where you live. It’s a way of life.”Dan Lauderdale, Co-Owner of Lauderdale Farms

“I've been on the farm all of my life. It's all I ever wanted to do. It's just wonderful.”George Lauderdale, Lauderdale Farms

“From farm to table, we are 100 percent a family-centric brand. Family farms tend to produce the best milk, and we focus on high-quality ingredients.”Joe Oberweis, CEO, Oberweis Dairy

As family farms disappear, a way of life vanishes with them

For the past two decades, there’s been a dramatic shift away from smaller, family-owned-and-operated farms to larger corporate farms, and the dairy industry is no exception.

300

US farmers leave their land every week, and surviving farms keep getting bigger.

2%

of Americans live on farms today compared with 39 percent in 1900.

116,010

fewer farms existed in the US in 2014 than in 2009.

But analytics brings hope

Oberweis recognizes that the skills needed to build and grow its business require using modern analytics. This partnership gives the Lauderdales confidence that their farm can continue on for generations to come. When Oberweis succeeds, family farms thrive.